Indonesian Farmer's Staff

Long, thin rod that ends in a tiny forked tongue.

This carved wooden farmer's staff from Timor is from Timor, Indonesia, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood. Timor is an island in eastern Indonesia, and its communities have a long tradition of carving wood for tools, house posts and ceremonial objects. Slender, slightly tapered shaft in dark reddish brown with a smooth finish and a sharp point at one end. The opposite end splits into a small forked tip, like a delicate pair of prongs. It is 32 inches high.

Simple tool, deftly finished, with a tiny flourish.